Pope Leo Condemns 'Tyrants' Amid Global Conflict and Trump's Criticism

Pope Leo XIV has strongly denounced a 'handful of tyrants' ravaging the Earth with war and exploitation, while preaching a message of peace in Cameroon, a region plagued by a longstanding separatist conflict.

During his visit to the western Cameroon city of Bamenda, Leo presided over a peace meeting involving leaders from various faiths, aiming to highlight the interfaith movement seeking to end the conflict and support its victims.

In his remarks at the St Joseph Cathedral, Leo praised the peace movement and warned against using religion to justify conflicts. He emphasized that 'Blessed are the peacemakers!' but expressed concern over those who manipulate religion for military, economic, or political gain.

The pope called for a 'decisive change of course' away from conflict and exploitation, stating, 'The world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants, yet it is held together by a multitude of supportive brothers and sisters!'

His comments come amid an ongoing feud with US President Donald Trump, who recently attacked the pope on social media. The conflict in Cameroon has resulted in over 6,000 deaths and displaced more than 600,000 people since 2017.

Cameroon, rich in natural resources such as oil, natural gas, cobalt, and gold, has seen its extraction industry dominated by French, English, and increasingly Chinese companies. The pope criticized the exploitation of these resources, saying, 'Those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilisation and death.'

Despite a temporary pause in fighting by separatist fighters to ensure the pope's safe passage, the conflict shows no signs of resolution, with peace talks stalled due to mutual accusations of bad faith.